Clean Burn Pellets?

[daydreamer]

Has anybody burned Clean Burn pellets from Manke Lumber Company in Tacoma, WA? What did you think of them? I'm thinking of buying a couple of bags to try. My local Menards has some this year as their softwood pellets. They also have some Rocky Mountain pellets for softwood too.

 

[homeskillet]

Clean Burn: I burned them.....and didnt like them. Honestly, after burning Bear Mountain and Golden Fire Pellets, all other pellets seem a inferior. Manke did have a issue with sodium being found in their pellets that was causing premature corrosion on some stoves. I think the sodium came from the fact that the logs used for pellets were floating in the salty Puget Sound before being processed for pellets. I would like the think that problem has long since been corrected.

I have heard only good things about Rocky Mountain pellets, but have never used them. If you can get your hands on Bear Mountain or Golden Fire at a decent price,.........give them a try and see for yourself

 

[daydreamer]

Right now my choices are Rocky Mountain pellets or Clean Burn pellets for softwood. I can also get Ozark Hardwood pellets or Pro Pellets for hardwood. Price is $5 a forty lb bag right now for all except Ozark pellets. Ozark pellets are on sale locally for $3.98 a bag. I guess I'll get some Ozarks and Clean Burn to get started this winter. Thanks.

 

[homeskillet]

Do tell....why shouldnt Clean Burns salt problem be mentioned. Why hide it.....facts are facts! As far as you thinking its strange that I like Bear Mountain and not Clean Burn: I think its strange that anyone would think anyones opinion is strange regarding pellets but such is life. For what its worth, I like Bear Mountain over all other brands I have tried because 1)- Bear Mountains leaves me NO clinkers, 2)- very very very little ash, and 3) no fines...........oh and theyve never had a problem with salt. I admit Bear Mountains a bit more expensive ( i paid 235/ton, but to me their worth it

 

[Clay H]

Softwood pelets are better (hotter) than hardwood??
I would have thought just the opposite were true.
Pennington and another brand called HEAT LLC is all i can find when calling today...a little early in the season still so Lowes and HD don't have any in yet.

 

[Clay H]

I'm sorry, my question may have led you to think i was new at this...I am not. I know a little about pellets but my knowlege is limited because there are only 3 brands of pellets i have ever used/seen in the 5 years i have been using my pellet stove, and I am new to the world of Pine versus hardwood. You see, last year is the first time ever i have seen any pine pelets here in OK and i steared clear of them because I just thought pine burns less hot that oak.
Well at some point in the season there was no Oak available for purchase but there was pine, so i bought some. It burned about half as hot meaning I had my St Croix set up on 6 to get the same heat as i would set on 2 with oak. Also my living room smelled like pine sap and that wasn't a good think. You mentioned douglas fir being top dog but these were not douglas fir, they were pine.

 

[Clay H]

Those crappy pine pelets were selling at the same price as the pennington...it was a shortage situation and some dealers were raping us on price but the honest ones were still selling for 5 bucks a bag IIRC

 

[Clay H]

Those crappy pine pelets were selling at the same price as the pennington...it was a shortage situation and some dealers were raping us on price but the honest ones were still selling for 5 bucks a bag IIRC

Shortages have a tendency to do that to the marketplace. Last season there was a lot of it and some REALLY bad product came to market, simply because there just wasn't anything else available..Not so this year and that is why I'm trying very hard to educate on the difference and hopefully dispell some of these old wife's tales about how hardwood is always better than softwood.. I have dealers tell me all the time that a GOOD softwood is the best pellet they have ever burnt and are selling them extremely well.

Yeah last season i was told i better stock up early and i didn't listen...then come Dec. all i could buy was pine at my main dealer, Heat Source at another fireplace shop selling for 7.50 a bag and everyone was limiting to 10 bags. I almost ended up burning propane.
I would love to get my hands on a good quality soft wood pellet to try but i am limited to 3 brands here...Pennington, Heat Source and a new brand this year is Heat LLC...which i have never heard of.
Do you have any insight on any of these? I have been reading poor reports on Pennington and i think heat source seemed to burn better than Pennington but it also blacked out my glass faster which i really don't like.